Thursday, June 09, 2016

It took five games but it appears that neither team likes the other very much. I want to ask the non-Penguins fans a question. The Penguins seem to do a lot of yapping on the ice and then turtle or look for the refs to bail them out. Is that an accurate assessment?

If I was playing against Penguins forward Patrick Hornqvist, it would be very hard not to retaliate against him. San Jose Sharks defenseman Brent Burns appeared to get his pound of flesh against Penguins forward Carl Hagelin.

While I was perusing some NHL hockey stats at hockey reference, I didn’t realize that three of the top-10 scorers in the NHL had college hockey experience. I guess that seems about right since 31% of the NHL's players comes from college hockey. Looking at the top-10, we have a Minnesota Gopher, a Wisconsin Badger, and a Boston College Eagle. I also find it interesting that they all finished with 78 points.

What's even more remarkable is that Johnny Gaudreau has only been in the NHL for just over two seasons. This past season, he scored almost a point a game. In 79 games, Gaudreau scored 30 goals and 78 points.

Steve Carp, Las Vegas Review-Journal --- The NHL’s nine-member executive committee met for just over four hours Tuesday in New York, but would not reveal its decisions on expansion and what recommendations it would make to the league’s Board of Governors when the 30 owners meet June 22 in Las Vegas.

Three options were being considered: expand by one or two teams for 2017-18, delay expansion until 2018 for one or two teams, or put expansion on hold indefinitely. Las Vegas and Quebec City have submitted applications for expansion teams and been involved in a long process since July.

Bill Foley, the billionaire businessman who is the major force behind Las Vegas’ expansion bid, said he did not know the outcome of the meeting.

“I wasn’t there,” he said. “I wasn’t invited to the meeting. Nobody has said anything to me.”

A spokesman for Joe and Gavin Maloof, who are minority investors and were in Las Vegas on Tuesday, said, “We haven’t heard anything.

This is an interesting read, is the NHL taking their Canadians fans for granted? I don't know, that would be very hard to quantify.

Tony Keller, The Globe and Mail -- Have you heard? The National Hockey League has a problem with its best fans: Canadians. Globe reporter James Bradshaw recently laid out the story, chapter, and verse. Hockey has become extremely expensive to play, fewer kids are taking it up, other sports are challenging the puck’s dominance with viewers, and at least one survey says that basketball, which barely registered in the national consciousness a generation ago, may now be as popular as hockey among young Canadians. Rogers, which paid $5.2-billion for the rights to broadcast NHL hockey until 2026, is facing soft TV ratings, which plunged further during this spring’s playoffs.

Some of this can be explained by one-time disasters, like how zero Canadian NHL teams made the playoffs this season. Others point to long-term demographic trends – namely that most new Canadians are originally from somewhere where hockey is unknown.

Here's your problem, there are no Canadian teams in the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season. That has to be a big factor in the "soft" television rating in Canada. Second, I don't blame Canadians for the soft ratings.At times, I think the hockey on the ice during the Stanley Cup Playoffs has been boring. I find myself less interested with the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season.

During this year's Stanley Cup Playoffs, I've found myself watching something other than hockey during some of the series. There's not a lot of interesting story lines. Think about this, there's not Montreal Canadiens, no L.A. Kings, no Blackhawks. There are no real villains. Besides the Penguins there's no real team to cheer against.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

I must give credit where credit it due. The on-ice officials got this one right. Tampa Bay Lightning forward Jonatha Drouin thought that he'd scored his fifth goal of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, after further review, it was not a goal. If you look at the video, you will see that Drouin was offsides at the Penguins blue line.

The St. Louis Blues thought Patrick Berglund had scored the first goal of the series between the Blues and the Sharks. However, after further review, the goal was waved off because of goalie interference. Again, this was the right call.

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Detriot Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader was real brave at the end of game two when he was punching Mike Blunden as he laid on his back. At the end of game three, Abdelkader was again out on the ice during a game-ending dustup. Abdelkader should have been suspended during game three escaped the NHL wheel of justice.

This time, Tampa Bay Lightning forward and resident tough guy Brian Boyle came looking to collect. This time, Abdelkader turtled. Luckily for Abdelkader, the ref was able to rescue him before he had his ass handed to him. Fans are already taking to Twitter to show their thoughts on Abdelkader.

Punching someone as they lay on the ice isn't a fair fight. I think the NHL should take a serious look at Abdelkader's actions. I am all for settling things on the ice, this goes beyond that. Sean Gentille from the Sporting News has an interesting take on this matter.

Justin Abdelkader could probably be suspended. You shouldn't drop MMA-style fists and elbows on a guy when he's on his back, like Mike Blunden was on Friday night

In my opinion, this breaks the hockey code. I know, according to some, there's no longer a hockey code. If you want to fight a guy challenge him to a fight and get after it. However, hitting him while he lays in a defenseless position. Did Abdelkader cross the line? Should he be suspended? According to the Detroit's MLive , he's expected to play.

Saturday, March 12, 2016

Buffalo Sabres rookie forward Jack Eichel makes scoring a clutch goal look really easy. I also love the call of the goal by hall of fame announcer Rick Jeanneret. This guy is one of the best in the business. Jeanneret is set to retire at the end of the 2016 NHL season.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

The first question out of my mouth: will this hit receive some extra scrutiny from the National Hockey League's Department of Players safety?

Before you jump down my throat, I am a Boston Bruins fan. But it does appear that Bruins forward Zac Rinaldo caught Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette in the head/jaw with his shoulder. Rinaldo was given a two-minute penalty for illegal contact to the head.

Aren't these the types of hits that were trying to remove from the game of hockey?

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

This is the third penalty shot goal of the season for the Boston Bruins. While I am sure that Pittsburgh Penguins fans will disagree with the call. Defenseman Derrick Pouliot's stick penalty prevented a scoring chance by David Pastrnak. Reading the NHL's penalty shot rule, I believe this is the right call.

53.6 Penalty Shot - If a player on a breakaway in the neutral or attacking zone is
interfered with by a stick or any other object or piece of equipment that
is thrown by any member of the defending team, including the Coach
or any non-playing Club person, a penalty shot shall be awarded to
the non-offending team. See also Rule 57.3 – Tripping for fouls from
behind to a player on a breakaway. (Cont)

57.3 Penalty Shot - When a player, in the neutral or attacking zone, in
control of the puck (or who could have obtained possession and
control of the puck) and having no other opponent to pass than the
goalkeeper, is tripped or otherwise fouled from behind, thus
preventing a reasonable scoring opportunity, a penalty shot shall be
awarded to the non-offending team. Nevertheless, the Referee shall
not stop play until the attacking team has lost possession of the puck
to the defending team. (NHL Rule Book)

With Pastrnak's goal, this marks the first time in #NHLBruins history the team has tallied 3 penalty shot goals in one season.

Sunday, February 14, 2016

Two goals by the Detriot Red Wings and they were both semi-controversial. Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk scores his 10th goal of the year. From the video, it appears that Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader touched the puck with a high-stick. Thoughts?

Rask likely looking for a high stick call there. Play not reviewed. #NHLBruins still up, 3-2, late in the first.

Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg scored his 11th goal of the season, but it appears that he might have been a bit lucky. Although the video was not able to confirm, Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader "might" have been offsides at the blue line. The Bruins challenged the play, and as usual, they lost. So, was the play offsides or not?

Monday, January 25, 2016

Even in the National Hockey League, where the on-ice officials are trained professional, they still blow calls. And they blew this call.

Tonight, the linemen in the Boston Bruins Philadephia Flyers game missed a call at the Bruins blue line. If you look at the video, you will see that Flyers forward Michael Del Zotto was offside. He was already in the offensive zone before the puck crossed the blue line. I watched the video 10 times and I agree with Jack Edwards, this was offside.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Windsor Star -- As one of the few Wings who does fight – Abdelkader and Brendan Smith are the only current Detroit players with a fighting major this season – he views the frightening video as another potential nail in the coffin for the future of hockey fights.

“I think there could be a place for fighting as far as just policing the guys,” Abdelkader said. “It’s the after the whistle stuff, the different things that can go on.

“At the same time, no one really needs to fight anymore. I just think you’re seeing less and less of it. Players are more skilled and focused on playing (well) on the ice than going out and fighting. You’re not seeing a fourth line that’s full of guys that are going to go out and fight.”

In Detroit’s most recent game, no Red Wing challenged Philadelphia’s Ryan White after he was assessed a match penalty for a head shot on Detroit’s Tomas Jurco and Wings’ coach Jeff Blashill accepted that development as a reality of the way the game is played today.

The other night, San Diego Gulls forward Brian McGrattan was knocked out in a fight with Daniel Maggio of the San Antonio Rampage. For now, fighting is allowed in the National Hockey league and in the American Hockey League game.

But for how long?

Most Junior hockey league have done everything they can to limit the number of fights a player can be involved in during the course of a season. The OHL has a 10-fight limit. After a player reaches 10 in a season, he's subject to stiffer disciplinary action. In other words, fight 11-15 are rewarded with a two-game suspension.

College hockey banned fighting many years ago.

If you watched the fight in question, you know it was an ugly incident. None of us ever want to see player get hurt on the ice. The McGrattan incident will give anti-fighting cabal the necessary ammo it needs to push for a fighting ban in all levels of hockey. Actually, these incidents will give credence to their argument.

In today’s salary cap NHL, teams can’t afford to carry one-dimensional players on their roster. They don’t have that luxury. Teams can’t afford to have a player that plays four shifts a game and sits on the end of the bench huffing and puffing at people. They need players that can score goals, kill penalties and chew up minutes.

Players that can fight and play hockey have greater value and still have a role in the NHL. See L.A. Kings forward Milan Lucic.